1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compact luminaire enclosure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a compact luminaire enclosure designed to dissipate heat such that it can be used safely with a 50 watt lamp.
2. Background of the Invention
Manufacturers are continually struggling with external luminaire enclosure temperatures that exceed the recommended maximum safety practices. Since luminaires give off a good deal of heat, which rises, typically the affected surfaces are the internal and external luminaire enclosure surfaces above the light source. This problem can be exacerbated if the luminaire enclosure opening should become covered.
Luminaire enclosures can be made from a variety of materials, but they are often made of plastic. A luminaire enclosure constructed from plastic generally requires a large volume of air to effectively manage heat emanating from the lamp & electronics. When a plastic enclosure experiences the cyclic heating and cooling conditions that result from periodic use of the luminaire, the chemical bonds within the molecules of plastic begin to weaken or break. Once these bonds begin to break, the breaking process accelerates at an exponential rate, thereby degrading the physical and mechanical properties of the plastic enclosure very quickly.
When the structure of the enclosure weakens and breaks down, the enclosure can no longer effectively dissipate heat. The heat produced by the luminaire becomes more and more concentrated within the enclosure over time, which causes the luminaire to exceed its maximum operating temperature. Eventually, this leads to the premature failure of the electronic components of the luminaire or the enclosure itself, or perhaps both.
In addition to the mechanical failure described above, the poor thermal management qualities of plastic luminaire enclosures and excessive internal and external enclosure surface temperatures can result in the failure to obtain third party safety agency listings and approvals. Non-acceptance of local government agencies, national government agencies, and other requirements set forth by national, state, or local regulations can result in lost sales for manufacturers.